Anger: What’s Your Favorite Flavor?

Anne-Marie Botek, AgingCare.com Editor

When it comes to anger, people have got a bunch of different flavors: mad, frustrated, ticked-off, peeved, annoyed, livid, irate, outraged, the list goes on.

But, what is anger, really?

Tina Tessina, Ph.D., psychotherapist and author of, “It Ends With You: Grow Up and Out of Dysfunction,” views anger as, “the emotional energy within each of us that rises up when something needs to change.”

The real problem lies in identifying what it is that needs changing.

This can present a difficult conundrum. If your coworker is a chatterbox and she’s constantly pestering your with frustrating interruptions, how can you change that? You can’t force a Chatty Cathy to change her ways, nor should you try to.

What can you do to make this irritating situation a bit more bearable?

The one thing you can always change—no matter the circumstances—is yourself.

Discovering how you interpret frustrating situations and express your rage can help you learn how to handle your anger more effectively.

Anger: What’s Your Favorite Flavor? originally appeared on AgingCare.com

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Disclaimer: The views expressed above are solely those of the author and may not reflect those of
Care2, Inc., its employees or advertisers.

g d c.

10:23AM PDT on Oct 14, 2012

hmmm

October 14
send a green star

Dale O.

8:24AM PDT on Jul 31, 2012

Interesting. Love chocolate and tend to be mellow. Suppose that sometimes I could be the vanilla exploding volcano though dark chocolate tends to suit me and if the lava gets flowing then at least it is the tasty warm chocolate that is soothing.

Growing up in a national capital I was able to get a good amount of productive protesting done on Parliament Hill and take soothing walks in Nature as the capital has a lot of green space, rivers and other tranquil activities.

Watching some with over the top tempers especially in traffic makes me relieved that I am fairly mellow, rarely hit the horn or swear at people while driving while some of my friends do with vigour!

Sometimes people have a mix of many of these flavours combined which is also fascinating.

July 31
send a green star

Karen F.

2:31AM PDT on Jul 25, 2012

Rod B, I must be well balanced, with a chip on both shoulders!

July 25
send a green star

Shalvah L.

2:28AM PDT on Jul 19, 2012

Marianne B. Great advice.
Ron B. I really enjoy your sense of humour!

July 19
send a green star

Sylvia W.

8:55AM PDT on Jul 18, 2012

While I didn't identify completely with any one 'flavor' - I might experience any of them at different times - I do have a self-therapy that works for me that I would like to share. When I am most angry, frustrated and ready to explode or do violence, I take on a job I really don't enjoy and direct all that negative energy into something positive - like doing dishes or weeding. You have no idea how good it feels after ravaging the weeds, taking out all that rage on crabgrass and bindweed, to look back on your handiwork and both garden and mind are now clear ;-)

July 18
send a green star

Karen T.

5:39AM PDT on Jul 18, 2012

Honestly, since I left my last boyfriend, I have not gotten mad! It has been 5yrs that I am single and I have never gotten mad in those 5yrs. Maybe annoyed bu right away I turn a negative into a positive!

Michele W.

12:28AM PDT on Jul 17, 2012

Thank you

July 17
send a green star

Rachel R.

12:24AM PDT on Jul 17, 2012

sometimes I think I need to SHOW I am angry because otherwise people don't really believe I am.

Tammy F.

6:37PM PDT on Jul 15, 2012

I play Sims 2. When I am angry with someone (like my hubby) I make a Sim of them & be very mean to their Sim. I see Sims 2 as "Anger Management Therapy".